Bathroom Update

New Features

The bathroom renovation is coming along nicely. We're just waiting for the shower glass, the floor heaters, and the shuttersfor the windows to be installed. I thought this might be good time to talk about some of the newer features we introduced in this bathroom so you can keep them in mind for your future renovations.

Floor heaters - One of our clients' major objections to using tile in this bathroom was that tile is cold. This bathroom is over the garage and the bathroom is always cold in the winter months because of the unheated garage space below. The solution was these new baseboard type heaters that fit right in the toe kick of the cabinet. They are virtually invisible because the grill is painted the color of the cabinet. They can be on a thermostat so the floor is consistently warm or they can just be turned on when you get in the shower. By the time you step out, the floor and the room are warm and toasty.

You may be wondering why we didn't go with the under tile electrical system. I have not found a tile installer, yet, who likes to put these in. They tend to be very delicate and if something in the wiring goes wrong you end up with cold spots in the tile and the tile has to be removed to fix the problem. Ouch!

I fear that they are like those pre-lit Christmas trees where a section goes out every year until you're left with no lights. I'd love to be proven wrong on this one so please comment if you've had any experience with this type of system.

Ventilation Fan - Ventilation fans don't have to be an eyesore anymore. You can now get a light and fan combination that is a recessed light fixture with fan vents as the trim kit. It fits flush with the ceiling and blends in with the other recessed lighting used in the bathroom. This model is by Broan and it is also available for flourescent lighting.

Although we didn't use this decorative flush mount light and fan combination, I thought I would show it here as another attractive option. This is also a Broan fan and is priced under $100. They even have some that are very contemporary and you can even add a time control so that they go off automatically after you leave the bathroom.

Pendant Lights - I have always been a fan of recessed lights in the bathroom instead of a bar light fixture over the mirror. In f act, that is what I chose for my own bathroom. I have

to admit, however, that the recessed light tends to throw more shadows because they only cast the light downward. This is particularly bad for the application of makeup. A bar light fixture directs light down and out because of the glass globes.

I have added buffet lamps to the counter in my own bath to get the light I need. It's beautiful but not everyone has the length of countertop that I have.

In this bathroom, we decided on a newer approach...pendant lights which are more commonly used in the kitchen. The lighting effect is perfect and it's a great look.

Mirror Surround - This is one of my favorite tricks and I use it whenever possible. I like the openness of a wall of glass (as opposed to separate smaller mirrors over each sink) but I hate the unfinished look of a plate glass mirror glued to the wall. In this bathroom we created a unique mirror surround out of 1 by 12, fluted molding, and wood bullseyes you can buy at Lowe's. The treatment is applied over the existing mirror and is less expensive than buying separate decorative mirrors.

There's much more to come with this project. We're now moving into the clients' bedroom and when everything is finished we'll share all of the before and afters.

Celebrate life and rejoyce!

Joyce Caldwell